NC Libertarians converge in Flat Rock

Published: Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 6:20 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 6:20 p.m.

FLAT ROCK - Libertarians from across North Carolina gathered at Mountain Lodge over the weekend to celebrate their political party's growth and strategize ways of advancing their causes of freedom and smaller government.

“There's a great deal of dissatisfaction with the Democrats and Republicans in North Carolina and we're benefiting from that,” said J.J. Summerell, chair of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina.

The number of registered Libertarians statewide grew by 50 percent in 2012, Summerell said, reaching 21,000. He attributed a healthy part of that growth to youth groups such as Students for Liberty, “which are spreading like wildfire on college campuses.”

Summerell told about 60 Libertarians gathered for the party's 2013 convention that the party's goal is simple: to win one seat in the N.C. Senate and four seats in the N.C. House by 2020, by getting more county affiliates “up and voting” and by recruiting and training candidates.

“We only have 27 out of 100 counties really organized,” he said. “We're trying to identify the pockets where we have the most support.”

The convention sought to lay the groundwork for a party surge in 2020, with workshops titles such as “Communicating Big Ideas Outside Your Little Circle” and “How To Simply and Easily Fundraise the First $10,000 of Your LP Campaign.”

On Sunday, Carla Howell, executive director of the Libertarian National Committee, used her 17 years of experience pushing tax-cut ballot initiatives in Massachusetts to train political novices in the tactics of staying on message. Libertarians are great at explaining what's wrong with big government, she said, but poor at “selling liberty.”

“If you've been up there as a candidate pushing to end the income tax, or ending the war on marijuana or bringing the troops home, and you've been very vocal, they might start in talking about your proposals,” Howell said. “Most times, that's not the case and you have to push your proposals and dominate the conversation.”

The bolder your proposal, Howell advised, the more benefits there are to pitch to voters. She said even Republicans who promise smaller government usually support maintaining the status quo, so Libertarian candidates should draw contrasts with them whenever possible.

“If you're cutting the state income tax by 5 percent, versus if you're eliminating the state income tax completely, the number of dollars that goes into the pocket of each individual voter is something like $50 versus $2,000 or $3,000,” she said. “You can't motivate someone to go to the polls for $50.”

Two local Libertarian candidates were among the 25 people listening to Howell's advice on campaign tactics. Edneyville resident Shelby Mood, 33, plans on challenging Rep. Chuck McGrady for the N.C. House District 117 seat in 2014, while Flat Rock resident Seth Sams, 35, will oppose Mike Edney for his District 1 Board of Commissioners seat.

Mood said McGrady has “failed on protecting gun rights,” offered “not one proposal on cutting taxes” and doesn't support school vouchers. Mood, a military veteran and Clemson University graduate, calls himself “a huge fan” of vouchers, which he says would give parents the freedom to choose which schools their kids attend.

“We need to put the power over education back in the hands of families,” said Mood, whose wife and parents are teachers.

Sams moved to Flat Rock from Asheville just over a year ago with his family and said he was “immediately bothered” by Edney's support of funding the Flat Rock Playhouse with 1 percent of the county's occupancy tax, an idea later dropped by the board. He also cited Edney's recent vote to keep the county's property tax rate as is, rather than dropping it by 1.36 cents.

A commercial printer, Sams said he wants to represent “the average working man” and fight for their freedom from governmental intrusion.

The county's Libertarian Party has adopted a platform mirroring that of the state party. It calls for privatizing public transportation, ABC stores, utilities and police and fire protection; abolishing zoning, forced annexations and sign ordinances; and deregulating daycare and nursing facilities, housing and adoption services.

To read the Libertarian Party of Henderson County's full platform, visit http://henderson.lpnc.org/?page_id=26

<p>FLAT ROCK - Libertarians from across North Carolina gathered at Mountain Lodge over the weekend to celebrate their political party's growth and strategize ways of advancing their causes of freedom and smaller government.</p><p>“There's a great deal of dissatisfaction with the Democrats and Republicans in North Carolina and we're benefiting from that,” said J.J. Summerell, chair of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina.</p><p>The number of registered Libertarians statewide grew by 50 percent in 2012, Summerell said, reaching 21,000. He attributed a healthy part of that growth to youth groups such as Students for Liberty, “which are spreading like wildfire on college campuses.”</p><p>Summerell told about 60 Libertarians gathered for the party's 2013 convention that the party's goal is simple: to win one seat in the N.C. Senate and four seats in the N.C. House by 2020, by getting more county affiliates “up and voting” and by recruiting and training candidates.</p><p>“We only have 27 out of 100 counties really organized,” he said. “We're trying to identify the pockets where we have the most support.”</p><p>The convention sought to lay the groundwork for a party surge in 2020, with workshops titles such as “Communicating Big Ideas Outside Your Little Circle” and “How To Simply and Easily Fundraise the First $10,000 of Your LP Campaign.”</p><p>On Sunday, Carla Howell, executive director of the Libertarian National Committee, used her 17 years of experience pushing tax-cut ballot initiatives in Massachusetts to train political novices in the tactics of staying on message. Libertarians are great at explaining what's wrong with big government, she said, but poor at “selling liberty.”</p><p>“If you've been up there as a candidate pushing to end the income tax, or ending the war on marijuana or bringing the troops home, and you've been very vocal, they might start in talking about your proposals,” Howell said. “Most times, that's not the case and you have to push your proposals and dominate the conversation.”</p><p>The bolder your proposal, Howell advised, the more benefits there are to pitch to voters. She said even Republicans who promise smaller government usually support maintaining the status quo, so Libertarian candidates should draw contrasts with them whenever possible.</p><p>“If you're cutting the state income tax by 5 percent, versus if you're eliminating the state income tax completely, the number of dollars that goes into the pocket of each individual voter is something like $50 versus $2,000 or $3,000,” she said. “You can't motivate someone to go to the polls for $50.”</p><p>Two local Libertarian candidates were among the 25 people listening to Howell's advice on campaign tactics. Edneyville resident Shelby Mood, 33, plans on challenging Rep. Chuck McGrady for the N.C. House District 117 seat in 2014, while Flat Rock resident Seth Sams, 35, will oppose Mike Edney for his District 1 Board of Commissioners seat.</p><p>Mood said McGrady has “failed on protecting gun rights,” offered “not one proposal on cutting taxes” and doesn't support school vouchers. Mood, a military veteran and Clemson University graduate, calls himself “a huge fan” of vouchers, which he says would give parents the freedom to choose which schools their kids attend.</p><p>“We need to put the power over education back in the hands of families,” said Mood, whose wife and parents are teachers.</p><p>Sams moved to Flat Rock from Asheville just over a year ago with his family and said he was “immediately bothered” by Edney's support of funding the Flat Rock Playhouse with 1 percent of the county's occupancy tax, an idea later dropped by the board. He also cited Edney's recent vote to keep the county's property tax rate as is, rather than dropping it by 1.36 cents.</p><p>A commercial printer, Sams said he wants to represent “the average working man” and fight for their freedom from governmental intrusion.</p><p>The county's Libertarian Party has adopted a platform mirroring that of the state party. It calls for privatizing public transportation, ABC stores, utilities and police and fire protection; abolishing zoning, forced annexations and sign ordinances; and deregulating daycare and nursing facilities, housing and adoption services.</p><p>To read the Libertarian Party of Henderson County's full platform, visit http://henderson.lpnc.org/?page_id=26</p>